Yearly Housekeeping

Yes, it is time once again to do my yearly blog maintenance. I have added some new links, edited some old ones and deleted a few that no longer went anywhere we would want to go anyway. I'll be adding some new links as I come across ones of interest. I've been looking about at stitching blogs both new and old - I really miss old ones that are no longer being updated or that are completely gone. It makes me realize that I must make more time to post to my own. I know many have moved on to Facebook and other social media but it just isn't the same and I have pretty much lost interest in Facebook altogether. So, I'm moving backwards, back to blogging. I'm going to try to be better about commenting on the blogs I visit, so they will know someone still cares and wants them to continue updating them. I hope that others will join me on this journey....

Stork Scissors Alphabet - Finished at Last!

Stork Scissors Alphabet

 Download pdf file

I finally finished the other alphabet I've been wanting to do for a long time. The color scheme was chosen to complement the 2014 Gingher's Designer Series Scissors, Eve, but it is easily changed for a whole new look. I'm using the letters for scissor fobs of course, but I'm planning to use them for personalizing some stitchers' gifts, too. Maybe a whole new needlework set?

Hummingbirds Are Back!

I love fall but it comes at a cost. My favorite part of summer is watching hummingbirds darting around, swooping and screeching, hovering and sipping, glittering jewels on wings. I'm always sad to see them leave as summer fades into fall but I love the way my heart jumps at the first sighting of their return in the spring.

I have long wanted to design a hummingbird alphabet, something easy and quick to stitch, not a lot of color changes and backstitching, etc. I finally took some time to get it done, I hope other hummingbird lovers will find uses for it, too. I think it is very versatile, and can look very different with color changes, additional backstitching, beads, metallics, etc. Today's chart is just the upper case letters. I have also charted the lower case and numbers, but will post them another day.

Hummingbird Alphabet Upper Case .pdf

The .pdf file is in Landscape format so you will want to set your printer accordingly.

Seahorse Scissor Fob/Back of Mermaid Fob

I used this design for the back of the Mermaid fob but it could easily be used for a quick-stitch scissors fob on its own. (The alphabet I used is a favorite of mine, but it is no longer available to download from the publisher's website.)

Seahorse Scissors Fob/Back of Mermaid Fob - pdf

Mermaid Scissor Fob

My friend Beth is an amazing stitcher. I cannot begin to count all the gorgeous Mirabilia designs she has stitched since I've known her. I don't know how she finds the time and perseverance to stitch those beautiful, detailed and huge designs! (Anything 80 x 80 falls in the large category, 100 x 100 or more is in the huge range as far as I'm concerned!) As soon as I saw her Mirabilia mermaids framed and hung, I decided I would like to make a mermaid fob for her. It's funny, she doesn't hesitate to tackle those large projects but is hesitant to stitch something small like a scissor fob - that's okay, though, because that's where I come in! I finished the chart back in November but didn't get to stitch it until the end of March. I managed to work in all the things I like the least about cross stitch - a few partial stitches (only 4), one over one stitches (the seahorses), beads and back stitching. Sigh......you would think I would learn to leave those things out!

                                        Mermaid Scissor Fob pdf

GONE!?! ...Moved....

Sadly, I lost my .com domain name because I forgot to update my card expiration date for my automatic renewal. Sigh... I would really like to have it back but since this is just a hobby, I refuse to pay a ridiculous price to get it back. So...I have a new web address:  www.xstitchhappy.net. I also have www.xstichhappy.com in case there are other people out there who mistype like I do. (I always miss typing the second "t" in stitch!) The second one forwards to the .net address, as does my blogspot.com address so hopefully I haven't completely disappeared! The worst part is that I can't even leave a message at the old address redirecting to the new one so it just looks like I have closed it down. If you are reading this, you have somehow managed to track me down and I thank you for your efforts and apologize for the inconvenience!

Blog Cleaning and Updates

I have gone through and cleaned up the links sections - deleted the dead ones and a couple that had changed to other places than originally intended (!?!) and have added some new ones. I will start working on converting all of the charts to pdf files and setting up the links to them. Hopefully this will solve the problem that some people have had in accessing and printing the charts from the JPEGs. It will take some time to get to them all but it should be a big improvement and worth the effort. If there is a particular chart you are waiting on, leave a comment telling which ones you want to see converted first. If anyone has suggestions for links they would like to see added, please leave them as comments and I will review them for posting. Thanks for your encouraging comments - they do act as an incentive to keep working on the blog!

Stitchin' Time Scissor Fob

Stitchin' Time Scissors Fob pdf

New Stork Scissors Square Fob

New Stork Scissors Square Fob pdf

To be, or not to be: that is the question

I have been debating for some time about the future of this blog. Should I just leave it neglected and stagnant but still present for the occasional new visitor or shut it down and end the neglect? I have strongly considered the latter because I haven't got much time or inclination to add to or update all the links and files that all need to be gone through and fixed or deleted. I have hesitated to end it because I know for myself how disappointed I am when I try to revisit blogs and websites that I have enjoyed in the past only to find them missing. It makes me sad they are gone but I do understand the decision to close them down. Can I justify the expense of the online storage account (the free ones seem to come and go creating problems of dead links to photos and files) if I'm not going to continue blogging? So many questions and very few answers....

My job has changed drastically over the past 4 years and certainly not for the better. This is a major factor in my drifting away from blogging, stitching and designing. I have been mentally and emotionally drained most of the time, occasionally rising above it but often just resigned to it. I deal with so much email at work now that I have no inclination to spend any time on personal email, too. I know I have received email about the blog and my charts and I apologize if I haven't answered, but please do not take it personally - I just don't ever seem to get to it. I mean to answer everyone but usually the thought of having to compose an answer is more than I can muster these days. So, back to the question at hand: to be, or not to be?

I had decided to take the blog offline but I have had a change of heart. I will try to add a few charts and start working on the dead links. I am making no promises about progress and updates but I have decided to work on it as I can. Maybe working on it a little here and there will renew my enthusiasm for it. If I disappear again into cyberspace at least the neglected blog will remain as a familiar place for wandering stitchers to revisit when they wish. Thanks to all of my visitors, I hope you will continue to drop by from time to time and enjoy the time you spend here.